Automatic lock for dispensing machine



May 12, 1959 E. MIHALE'K ETAL 7 Filed Sept. 15, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG- .5

22 k 120 Q INVENTORS 2] I24 I26 68 Ema/7 Mz/zalek 20 as BY U/zaresS ypcr .19 c9 $14 4% I8 70 46 0 7724 07 1 2 W/Z M W y 1959 I E. MIHALEK ET AL 2,886,207

AUTOMATIC LOOK FOR DISPENSING MACHINE Filed Sept.v.l5, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGL. 5

INVEN TORS fmeziy Mi/zalek Char e55 er BY 9! (9m d! m '4 7 76 705 flziarzzegs May 12, 1959 E. MIHALEK ETAL AUTOMATIC LOCK FOR DISPENSING MACHINE Filed Sept. 15, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR-S y Mihalek 13y Charles $551 00" Ziorrzeys AUTOMATIC LOCK FQR DISPENSING MACHINE Emery Mihalek and Charles Szyper, Chicago, ]]l., assignors to Hershey Mfg. Co., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application September 15, 1955, Serial No. 534,523

3 Claims. (Cl. 221-206) This invention relates to dispensing machines and particularly to a device for automatically locking such a machine after a dispensing operation so as to prevent operation of the machine by spurious means.

The present invention comprises improvements which are applicable to machines of the type disclosed in the following United States patents: 1,562,771, 1,586,455, 1,570,910, 1,677,647, 1,697,537, 1,706,896, 1,798,416, 1,923,945, and 2,477,137.

Thus, one principal object of the invention is to provide a new and improveddispensing machine having a locking device for locking the machine, after each dispensing operation, so as to prevent operation of the machine by means of a spurious implement or the like.

A further object is to provide a new and improved dispensing machine having a movable dispensing member for carrying objects from a magazine to a discharge opening, together with a locking device for locking the dispensing member in its dispensing position, adjacent the discharge opening, so as to prevent movement of the dispensing member by a spurious implement inserted through the discharge opening.

It is another object to provide a new and improved dispensing machine of the foregoing character in which the locking device is automatically released by initial operation of the actuating element normally employed to operate the dispensing member.

Further objects and advantages of the machine will appear from the following description, taken with themcompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary elevational sectional view of a dispensing machine constituting an illustrative embodiment of the invention, the view being taken generally along a line 11 in Fig. 7;

Figs. 2 and 3 are views similar to Fig. l with the machine in changed positions, the machine being shown in its initial position in Fig. l, in its locked position in Fig. 2,

and in an unlocked and partially reset position in Fig. 3; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevational sectional view taken generally along a line 44 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of the machine; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view of th machine;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken generally along a line 77 in Fig. l, the machine being shown in its initial position; and

' Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7, with the machine in changed position.

It will be seen that the drawingsillustrate a dispensing machine 10 having a magazine 12 (Figs. 2-4) adapted to hold a supply of articles to be dispensed. As illustrated, the magazine is in the form of a generally vertical tube adapted to hold a stack of the articles. To discharge the articles, a circular opening 14 is formed in a horizontal base plate 16. It will be seen that the opening 14 is displaced rearwardly from the magazine 12.

To -carry'the articles from the magazine 12'to the dis-' United States PatentO Patented May 12, 1959 are apertured upper and lower gates 26 and 27. However,

the construction and function of these gates 26 and 27 are not material to the present invention and hence need not be described in detail. The dispensing slides 18-22 have respective vertical apertures 28-32 adapted to receive articles from the magazine 12 and carry-them to the discharge opening 14. In the initial position of the machine, as shown in Fig. 1, all of the apertures 28-32 are alined with the magazine 12. Accordingly, the articles will descend by gravity from the magazine into the apertures. The dispensing operation is accomplished by moving one or more of the slides rearwardly so that the apertures in the slides will be alined with the discharge opening 14, whereupon the articles contained in the apertures will fall through the discharge opening.

To actuate the dispensing slides 18-22, the machine is provided with an actuating lever or other member 34 (Fig. 6), which is mounted on a pivot shaft 36 supported by a right hand side frame 38. The lever 34 is adapted to operate a trip lever 40 by means of an escapement 42.

It will be seen that the trip lever 40 has a shaft portion 44 (Fig. 5) provided with right and left hand journals 46 and 48 which are mounted in bearings 50 and 52. Extending forwardly on the trip lever 40 is a pointed escapement arm 54 which is normally engaged by a pawl 56 carried by the actuating lever 34. When the actuating lever 34 is swung manually in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 6, the pawl 56 lifts the arm 54 so as to swing the trip lever 40 clockwise. After a predetermined amount of movement of the actuating lever 34, the arm 54 escapes from the pawl 56 and returns in a counterclockwise direction under the biasing impetus of a spring 58. The actuating lever 34 must be returned manually in a clockwise direction. To prevent premature return of the lever 34, a two-way pawl 60 is arranged to engage a segmental ratchet 62 on the lever 34.

The initial, clockwise swinging movement of the trip lever 40 is efiective to reset the dispensing slides 18-22 into their article-receiving positions in vertical alinement with the magazine 12. Such resetting action is brought about by means of a depending arm 64 (Fig. l) on the lever 40. It will be seen that a link 66 is connected between the arm 64 and a push pin 68 which is slidably guided in an upright projection 70 formed on the base plate 16. The pin 68 is adapted to engage an upright flange member. or finger 72 formed on the rear end of the lowermost dispensing slide 18. This finger 72 extends upwardly along the rear ends of the other dispensing slides 19-22 and hence is adapted to push the slides forwardly. The clockwise initial movement of the trip lever 40 ad: vances the pin 68. As shown to best advantage in Fig. 3, the pin 68 engages the finger 72, which in turn engages any of. the slides 19-22 which have been moved to dispensing positions. The finger 72 pushes the slides forwardly into their article-receiving positions.

When the dispensing slides 18-22 reach their fully advanced, article-receiving positions underneath the magazine 12, they are latched by means of a latching arm 74 (Figs. 7 and 8), which swings behind the finger 72 on the lowermost slide 18. It will be seen that the arm 74 is formed on a horizontal latching lever 76 which is biased counterclockwise by a spring 78. Thus the spring is eflFective to swing the arm 74 into its latching position.

-A- horizontal arm 80 is provided to swing the latching lever '76 clockwise and thereby disengage the latching arm 74 from the finger 72 on thelower most dispensing slide 18. In this way, the dispensing slides 18-22 are conditioned for rearward movement between their article-receiving and article-dispensing positions. During the clockwisewinitialmovement of the trip lever 40, the horizontal lever.80-is.swung,forwardly so as to permit the latching arm 74to. move behindthe finger. 72. Suchforward movement -of=the-lever 8i) iseifectedby meansof a link 82.which .is connected between the lever 80 and a second the-:levers..84 and 80 forwardly. Uponreturn movement.

of thetriplever 40-,- the depending arm-.86 moves away from theroller 88 to permit return of the lever-.84 under the impetuspf a biasing. spring 90.

Returnmovement of the lever 84 is retarded by means of a suitable retarding; mechanism 92 (Figs- 5, 7 and 8). The. illustrated retarding mechanism 92 is of the air fan type. Thus, a two-armed fan 94 is arranged to be driven athighspeed by the lever-84 during itsreturn movement. During return movement of .the. lever 84,- a one-way ratchet clutch. 96 (Fig. .5 connects. the lever toa gear 98.which drives the fan 94 through aconventional speedmultiplying gear train 100 (not completely shown). Theair resistance offered to rotation of the fan 94 retards the return movement. ofthe levers 84 and 80. Near its rearward limit-of. travel, the lever 80. engages an. upstanding projection 102 on the latchinglever 76 and thereby swings the latching lever in a clockwise directionso as to disengage thearm 74 fromthe finger 72 on thelowerrnost dispensing slide 18.

After the slides 18-22-have been released by the master latching arm 74, the rearwardmovement of .the slides is controlled .by means of a suitable selector mechanism 104 (Fig- 1) which, however, is not material to the presentv latches 106 in various combinations during the return.

movement of the lever 80. When the master latching arm 74 .is released, as shown in Fig. 7, those slides for which the individual latches 106 are also released will travel rearwardly under the impetus of the biasing springs .24. When theslides are reset forwardly by the push pin 68, the latches 106are returned into latching position by means of individual biasing springs 108.

Fig. 2 illustrates one possible dispensing position offthe machine in whichthe three lower dispensing slides 18, 19 and 201are shiftedrearwardly so that the apertures 28, 29 and 30 therein are in overlying relation to the discharge opening 14. With the'slides 18; 19 and 20' in thisposition, the articles carried in the apertures-will be dispensed through the opening 14.-

It has beenfound desirable to'prevent spurious operation of the dispensing machine. Such spurious operation hassometimes beenaccomplished by the insertion of a tool or implement through .the discharge opening 14 by an. unauthorized person. manipulated so as to reciprocate the. lowermost slide.18

might. conceivably be removed.

Thev implement has then been.

between its article-receiving and dlspenslngpositions. This is done when only thelowermost-slide has been released: to its dispensing position. By such: reciprocation of the lowermost- ..slide, the entire. contents 'of the magazine 12 wardly on the trip lever 40. The pawl 112.has a limited' range of free swinging movement relative to the arm'118. This range of free movement, or lost motion, is defined by an arcuate slot 120' formed in the pawl 112. The bracket 116 carries a headed pin 122 which extends through the slot 120 and limits the movement of the pawl 112.

It will be seen that the pawl 112 is formed with 21 depending tooth.124 which. defines a rearwardlyj facing latching shoulder 126. An inclined cam surface 128- is formed along the front of the pawl 112 and is arranged to face downwardly and forwardly. When the lowermost dispensing slide travels rearwardly toits dispensing position, the finger 72 engages the cam surface 128 so as to displace the pawl 112 upwardly. Thus, the pawl 112 offers no resistance to rearward movement of theislides 18-22. Once the lowermost slide-18 has reached'its dispensing position at the rearmost limit of its travel, the pawl 112 moves downwardly, under the biasing action of gravity, with the tooth 124 and latching shoulder'126 in front of the finger 72. It is then impossible to move the lowermost dispensingslidelS in a forward direction until the pawl 112is released.

Thepawl 112 is automatically released by actuationof the machine in the normal manner- Thug-initial clockwise actuating movement of the trip lever 40 swings the arm118upwardly. This raises the pawl 112 sothat the latchingshoulder 126 will be disengaged from the finger.

72.: Such releasing movement of the pawl 112 occursbefore the push pin 68 engages the finger 72.

In normal operation, the machine is actuated by pushing the frontend of-the actuating lever 34 downwardly so as to move the lever counterclockwise. The pawl 56 on the lever 34 raises the trip arm 54 until the. arm escapes assuming that the lowermost dispensing slide hasbeen. moved rearwardly during previous operation of the machine. After the pawl 112 has been released from the finger. 72, the-arm 64 actuates the'push pin 68 'so'astoresetthe lowermost slide 18 forwardly. The'finger: 72-

on the-lower1most slide resets any of the other slides 19-22 which may previously have been moved rearwardly.

During clockwise actuation'of the trip lever 40,.the depending arm 86=onthe lever engages'the'roller'88 and operates to swing the lever 84 and forwardly. Such movementof thelever 80 releases the master latching lever 76 so that the latching ann 74 can move hehind the finger 72 when the lowermost slide 18 reaches its forwardly reset position. The latching arm 74 tem-'- porarily retains the dispensing slides 18-22 in this position, with their apertures 28-32 underneath the magazine 12. The articles held in the magazine thereuponfall intotheapertures intthe slides.-.

Whenthe trip lever: 40 returns to itsoriginalposition, the locking pawl.112.is moved-downwardly into. thexpathof the finger 72 on. the lowermost dispensing slide 18. Moreover, the leversi80 and 84arereleased.

for'rearward movement. However, the rearward movement of the levers is retardedby the air fan mechanism 92. During the retarded return movement of the lever 80, the selector mechanism .104 may release one ormore of the latches 106. Shortly before the lever 80 reaches its return position, it engages the abutment 102 on the master latchinglever 76 and is eifective to swing the latch arm 74 out of the path of the finger 72. Thereupon, the lowermost slide 18 is moved rearwardly by its biasing spring 24, assuming that the latch 106 for the lowermost slide has been released by the selector mechanism 104. As the slide 18 moves rearwardly, the finger 72 engages the camming surface 128 on the locking pawl 112 and displaces the pawl upwardly. When the lowermost dispensing slide 18 reaches its dispensing position, with the finger 72 against the abutment 70, the pawl falls in front of the finger 72 so that the latching shoulder 126 will prevent forward movement of the slide 18. The pawl 112 makes it impossible for the slide 18 to be moved forwardly by means of a spurious implement inserted through the discharge opening 14 by any unauthorized person.

The pawl 112 remains in locking engagement with the finger 72 until the machine is again operated in the legitimate manner by swinging the lever 34.

Various modifications, alternative constructions and equivalents may be employed without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention, as exemplified in the foregoing description and defined in the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a dispensing machine, the combination comprising a plurality of dispensing slides arranged in superimposed relation, a magazine overlying said slides, each of said slides having an article-receiving aperture therein, means defining a discharge opening underlying said slides for receiving articles therefrom, each of said slides being movable from an article-receiving non-dispensing position with said aperture therein alined with said magazine and an article-dispensing position with said aperture therein alined with said discharge opening, means for selectively moving said slides to said article-dispensing position, one of said slides being lowermost and having an upright member thereon extending along the ends of the other of said slides for moving the other ofsaid slides into said article-receiving position upon movement of said lowermost slide into article-receiving position, said upright member preventing movement of the other of said slides into dispensing position until said lowermost slide is moved into dispensing position, an arm swingable in a generally vertical direction adjacent said slides, link means forming a lost motion connection between said arm and said lowermost slide and operative to move said lowermost slide to article-receiving position in response to predetermined upward movement of said arm, a latching pawl pivotally mounted on said arm and engageable with said upright member for latching said lowermost slide in said dispensing position, said pawl having a cam surface engageable by said upright member for displacing said pawl and permitting passage of said lowermost slide to said dispensing position without interference from said pawl, said pawl having a latching shoulder engageable with said upright member upon movement of said lowermost slide to said dispensing position, operable means for swinging said arm upwardly and thereby withdrawing said pawl from said upright member to release said lowermost slide for movement by said link means to said article-receiving position.

2. In a dispensing machine, the combination comprising a plurality of dispensing slides arranged in superimposed relation, a magazine overlying said slides, each of said slides having an article-receiving aperture therein, means defining a discharge opening underlying said slides for receiving articles therefrom, each of said slides being movable from an article-receiving non-dispensing position with said aperture therein alined with said magazine to an article-dispensing position with said aperture therein alined with said discharge opening, respective springs biasing said slides toward said article-dispensing position, respective latches for releasably latching said slides in said article-receiving position, one of said slides being lowermost and having an upright member thereon ex tending along the ends of the other of said slides for moving the other of said slides into said article-receiving position upon movement of said lowermost slide into article-receiving position, said upright member preventing movement of the other of said slides into dispensing position until said lowermost slide is moved into dispensing position, an arm swingable in a generally vertical direction adjacent said slides, link means forming a lost motion connection between said arm and said lowermost slide and operative to move said lowermost slide to article-receiving position in response to predetermined upward movement of said arm, a latching pawl pivotally mounted on said arm and engageable with said upright member for latching said lowermost slide in said dispensing position, said pawl having a cam surface engageable by said upright member for displacing said pawl and permitting passage of said lowermost slide to said dispensing position without interference from said pawl, said pawl having a latching shoulder engageable with said upright member upon movement of said lowermost slide to said dispensing position, and operable means for swinging said arm upwardly and thereby withdrawing said pawl from said upright member to release said lowermost slide for movement by said link means to said articlereceiving position.

3. In a dispensing machine, the combination comprising a magazine for holding a supply of articles, means defining a discharge opening displaced from said magazine, a dispensing member for carrying articles between said magazine and said discharge opening, said dispensing member having an article-receiving aperture therein, said dispensing member being movable between an articlereceiving position with said aperture alined with said magazine and an article-dispensing position with said aperture alined'with said discharge opening, means for selectively moving said dispensing member to said article-dispensing position, an arm swingable in a generally vertical direction adjacent said dispensing member, linkage means forming a lost motion connection between said arm and said dispensing member and operative to move said dispensing member to article-receiving position in response to predetermined upward movement of said arm, a latching pawl pivotally mounted on said arm adjacent said dispensing member, a latching element on said dispensing member and engageable by said latching pawl for latching said dispensingmember in said dispensing position to prevent spurious movement of said dispensing member to said article-receiving position, and operable means for swinging said asrm upwardly and thereby withdrawing said pawl from said dispensing member to release said dispensing member for movement by said linkage means to said article-receiving position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 443,906 Estelle Dec. 30, 1890 1,197,557 Grove et al Sept. 5, 1916 1,325,766 Thompson Dec. 23, 1919 1,507,999 Hubbard Sept. 9, 1924 2,081,193 Breitenstein et a1 May 25, 1937 

